Category: Hindi

Naseeruddin Shah pledges support for Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop India 2016

MUMBAI: After having accomplished a successful inaugural edition of an academic initiative focused on Film Preservation and Restoration last year, this year the Film Heritage Foundation in association with Viacom18 have once again joined hands with an aim to save and uphold the legacy of India’s cinematic heritage.

The inaugural event, which was held in the National Film Archive of India in Pune saw support from film industry stalwarts such as actor par excellence Naseeruddin Shah who was the Guest of Honor. At the inaugural event, filmmaker and archivist – Shivendra Singh Dungarpur and Chairman CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment & Group CEO Viacom18 Media Pvt- Sudhanshu Vats addressed the audience about the need to preserve India’s rich filmic legacy.

The workshop titled ‘Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016’will take place from February 25th to March 6th in Pune and will involve lectures, presentations and practical classes that will be conducted by leading international experts in the field, for cinema enthusiasts who want to learn in-depth knowledge of the subject.

Naseerudin Shah, in support of the Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop said “It is a matter of great pride for me to be here. On behalf of the entire film fraternity, I would like to thank Shivendra for this initiative. I am very proud that there are 50 films of mine in the archive list here. I can’t thank P.K. Nair Saab enough because he has inspired a generation of youngsters to follow him in his footsteps.”

Extending support to this unique initiative, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment chairman & Group CEO Viacom18 Media Sudhanshu Vats said “What are we doing to leave behind a cinematic legacy for the younger generations? We need to preserve our films not just for the joy of entertainment but for safeguarding the ideas that help us learn about our cultural heritage. We at Viacom 18 feel honored to be a part of this initiative. I was convinced from the beginning because I believed in Shivendra and his passion for cinema. The movement has to grow now and I am sure it will when everyone comes together to work towards the cause. It makes me happy to know that now there is direct participation from the Information & Broadcasting Ministry of India. And at the end let us all remember, we can plan our future only by reflecting on our past so let’s all join hands together to save India’s cinematic legacy.”

Film Heritage Foundation founder director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur said, “The first edition was a great success and put us on the map to save India’s cinematic heritage. This year, the workshop is more advanced and intensive with greater focus on film archiving. NFAI agreed to open the doors for us this year. We have big plans and we wish to build an army of film archivists. Funding and technology are essential but we need educated skilled people as well. Film preservation is not a business; it is love… love for cinema. Mr. Sudhanshu Vats and the entire Viacom18 team – I cannot thank them enough. Sudhanshu had the foresight and believed in our vision and today we are celebrating our second year. Here’s to many more years of celebrating and trying to conserve India’s cinematic heritage together.”

With a mix of technical workshops on the craft of preservation and lectures specially designed by David Walsh, Head of the FIAF Technical Commission, there will also be a daily screening of a restored classic preceded by an introductory talk on the restoration. One of the USP’s of this initiative, this year is that Thelma Ross from the Museum of Modern Art, New York will be conducting sessions in the specialized field of documentation and cataloguing.

February 26, 2016
Sri Adhikari Brothers’ Katalyst Creates back with ‘Tere Bin Laden’ sequel

MUMBAI: Sri Adhikari Brother’s creative arm Katalyst Creates is back with Tere Bin Laden – Dead or Alive, a sequel of the movie Tere Bin Laden.

Katalyst Creates was behind the visual effects and visual packaging of the sequel as well.

Director of the film Abhishek Sharma said, “Katalyst Creates under the creative leadership of Parth has become a one stop shop for world class VFX and out of the box promo production. He and his team have successfully generated intrigue and buzz around Tere bin Laden’s sequel besides creating amazing TV promos as well. Apart from the promotional material Katalyst Creates has done incredible VFX work on my film. The CG choppers and various terrains created by the team have garnered great response from the industry experts. Often such high quality work comes with unviable budgets but Katalyst Creates is unlike most others. I must say Katalyst Creates is a dream studio for any Indian filmmaker aiming to work at an international level.”

“We have had a long association with Walkwater Media and Abhishek Sharma since Tere Bin Laden. With this current project, we have taken our relationship to the next level. I have been associated with this project right from the beginning and have left no stone unturned to bring out the best since. At Katalyst Creates we believe in creating industry benchmarks in the space of creative services and superseding the client requirements,” added Katalyst Creates creative and business head Parthsarthi Iyer.

Walkwater Media’s Pooja Shetty said, “Katalyst creates has proven to be a very quality conscious and budget conscious film makers dream studio under the creative supervision of a very passionate technician Parthsarthi Iyer. Not only did we complete the job well within the budget than the industry norm but had constant support from Parth, which is invaluable.”

Sri Adhikari Brothers Group CEO Manav Dhanda added, “VFX industry is fast evolving and we are proud that in an industry where the bar is forever being raised within a very short span of time, Katalyst Creates has successfully executed multiple marquee projects, which have created a base for us to take things to the next level. We also thank Pooja Shetty for reinstating trust in our team, after all only long term partnerships result in greater success.”

February 24, 2016
Sri Adhikari Brothers’ Katalyst Creates back with ‘Tere Bin Laden’ sequel

MUMBAI: Sri Adhikari Brother’s creative arm Katalyst Creates is back with Tere Bin Laden – Dead or Alive, a sequel of the movie Tere Bin Laden.

Katalyst Creates was behind the visual effects and visual packaging of the sequel as well.

Director of the film Abhishek Sharma said, “Katalyst Creates under the creative leadership of Parth has become a one stop shop for world class VFX and out of the box promo production. He and his team have successfully generated intrigue and buzz around Tere bin Laden’s sequel besides creating amazing TV promos as well. Apart from the promotional material Katalyst Creates has done incredible VFX work on my film. The CG choppers and various terrains created by the team have garnered great response from the industry experts. Often such high quality work comes with unviable budgets but Katalyst Creates is unlike most others. I must say Katalyst Creates is a dream studio for any Indian filmmaker aiming to work at an international level.”

“We have had a long association with Walkwater Media and Abhishek Sharma since Tere Bin Laden. With this current project, we have taken our relationship to the next level. I have been associated with this project right from the beginning and have left no stone unturned to bring out the best since. At Katalyst Creates we believe in creating industry benchmarks in the space of creative services and superseding the client requirements,” added Katalyst Creates creative and business head Parthsarthi Iyer.

Walkwater Media’s Pooja Shetty said, “Katalyst creates has proven to be a very quality conscious and budget conscious film makers dream studio under the creative supervision of a very passionate technician Parthsarthi Iyer. Not only did we complete the job well within the budget than the industry norm but had constant support from Parth, which is invaluable.”

Sri Adhikari Brothers Group CEO Manav Dhanda added, “VFX industry is fast evolving and we are proud that in an industry where the bar is forever being raised within a very short span of time, Katalyst Creates has successfully executed multiple marquee projects, which have created a base for us to take things to the next level. We also thank Pooja Shetty for reinstating trust in our team, after all only long term partnerships result in greater success.”

February 24, 2016
Viacom18 partners FHF for Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016

MUMBAI: Viacom18 and Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) have joined hands for the second time in a row with an aim to save and uphold the legacy of India’s cinematic heritage.

The workshop titled ‘Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016’ will take place from 26 February – 6 March in Pune and will involve lectures, presentations and practical classes that will be conducted by leading international experts in the field.

The workshop will be inaugurated by veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah in the presence of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting secretary Sunil Arora, Viacom 18 Media group CEO Sudhanshu Vats, Film Heritage Foundation founder director Shivendra Singh Dungarpu and National Film Archive of India director Prakash Magdum.

Extending support to this unique initiative, Vats said, “We strongly believe that every enterprise has to be global and social at the same time. At Viacom18, we know for a fact that India is a country of storytellers; in fact the largest and oldest stories in the world come from here. And so we realise how important it is to preserve our cultural heritage for the benefit of the future generations. We look forward to educate and interact with cinema enthusiasts during the course of the film preservation and restoration workshop 2016.”

Dungarpur added, “After receiving a great response in the first year itself, we are back again with a longer, more advanced and intensive Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop for all those who understand the importance of the rich cinematic legacy of India and who wish to learn, explore and contribute and contribute to saving our film heritage. FHF would like to thank Sudhanshu Vats for being one of the first people from the media and film industry to have the vision to recognise the importance of our cause and for Viacom’s unstinting support.”

With a committee of panelists including some of the most influential names from the industry from across the globe, this year the workshop will give practical training to help make abled archivists, which is a dire need for cinema in India. This also opens up a career alternative for film students of many acclaimed universities across India, allowing them to learn more in-depth knowledge on this topic.

With a mix of technical workshops on the craft of preservation and lectures specially designed by FIAF Technical Commission head David Walsh there will also be a daily screening of a great Indian classic.

Extending his support to the initiative, Shah said, “When Shivendra called me and requested me to be the chief guest at the opening ceremony of the Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016, I was very happy to accept. There has been a growing awareness about how much of our cinematic legacy has been lost over the years for various reasons and the urgent need to preserve what is left of it. I think it’s great that Film Heritage Foundation and National Film Archive of India have come together with FIAF to conduct this important workshop to train people in the highly specialised field of film archiving which is essential if we are to save our cinematic heritage.”

February 23, 2016
Viacom18 partners FHF for Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016

MUMBAI: Viacom18 and Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) have joined hands for the second time in a row with an aim to save and uphold the legacy of India’s cinematic heritage.

The workshop titled ‘Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016’ will take place from 26 February – 6 March in Pune and will involve lectures, presentations and practical classes that will be conducted by leading international experts in the field.

The workshop will be inaugurated by veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah in the presence of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting secretary Sunil Arora, Viacom 18 Media group CEO Sudhanshu Vats, Film Heritage Foundation founder director Shivendra Singh Dungarpu and National Film Archive of India director Prakash Magdum.

Extending support to this unique initiative, Vats said, “We strongly believe that every enterprise has to be global and social at the same time. At Viacom18, we know for a fact that India is a country of storytellers; in fact the largest and oldest stories in the world come from here. And so we realise how important it is to preserve our cultural heritage for the benefit of the future generations. We look forward to educate and interact with cinema enthusiasts during the course of the film preservation and restoration workshop 2016.”

Dungarpur added, “After receiving a great response in the first year itself, we are back again with a longer, more advanced and intensive Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop for all those who understand the importance of the rich cinematic legacy of India and who wish to learn, explore and contribute and contribute to saving our film heritage. FHF would like to thank Sudhanshu Vats for being one of the first people from the media and film industry to have the vision to recognise the importance of our cause and for Viacom’s unstinting support.”

With a committee of panelists including some of the most influential names from the industry from across the globe, this year the workshop will give practical training to help make abled archivists, which is a dire need for cinema in India. This also opens up a career alternative for film students of many acclaimed universities across India, allowing them to learn more in-depth knowledge on this topic.

With a mix of technical workshops on the craft of preservation and lectures specially designed by FIAF Technical Commission head David Walsh there will also be a daily screening of a great Indian classic.

Extending his support to the initiative, Shah said, “When Shivendra called me and requested me to be the chief guest at the opening ceremony of the Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2016, I was very happy to accept. There has been a growing awareness about how much of our cinematic legacy has been lost over the years for various reasons and the urgent need to preserve what is left of it. I think it’s great that Film Heritage Foundation and National Film Archive of India have come together with FIAF to conduct this important workshop to train people in the highly specialised field of film archiving which is essential if we are to save our cinematic heritage.”

February 23, 2016
UFO Moviez launches Nova Cinemas to fuel screen growth in non-metros

MUMBAI: UFO Moviez India has launched a franchise brand called Nova Cinemas under its subsidiary Valuable Digital Screens Private Limited (VDSPL).

With this asset light initiative, VDSPL aims to recreate the screen growth in non-metro regions across India. Under Nova Cinemas, VDSPL will encourage local entrepreneurs to own and operate Nova branded theatres in various parts of the country.

Contractually, Nova franchisees shall be required to use UFO’s service offering thereby providing a dedicated and captive customer base for UFO’s digital cinema & advertising business.

The theatres will operate as franchisees of VDSPL. Local entrepreneurs will be primarily responsible to make the requisite investment for setting up of the theatres and will also be responsible for day to day operations of their theaters.

VDSPL will ensure that the theatre is set up at a competitive cost for the franchisees. VDSPL will also grant rights to use the brand ‘Nova Cinemas’ to the local entrepreneurs for a fee and take end to end responsibility of providing theatrical technologies as well as sourcing of film content.

February 23, 2016
UFO Moviez launches Nova Cinemas to fuel screen growth in non-metros

MUMBAI: UFO Moviez India has launched a franchise brand called Nova Cinemas under its subsidiary Valuable Digital Screens Private Limited (VDSPL).

With this asset light initiative, VDSPL aims to recreate the screen growth in non-metro regions across India. Under Nova Cinemas, VDSPL will encourage local entrepreneurs to own and operate Nova branded theatres in various parts of the country.

Contractually, Nova franchisees shall be required to use UFO’s service offering thereby providing a dedicated and captive customer base for UFO’s digital cinema & advertising business.

The theatres will operate as franchisees of VDSPL. Local entrepreneurs will be primarily responsible to make the requisite investment for setting up of the theatres and will also be responsible for day to day operations of their theaters.

VDSPL will ensure that the theatre is set up at a competitive cost for the franchisees. VDSPL will also grant rights to use the brand ‘Nova Cinemas’ to the local entrepreneurs for a fee and take end to end responsibility of providing theatrical technologies as well as sourcing of film content.

February 23, 2016
Box Office: ‘Neerja’ flies with Rs 21 crore in opening weekend

MUMBAI: Neerja started slow on its opening Friday but the film’s appreciation helped it catch momentum on the very first day during the later shows. Akin to Airlift, despite being a dry film, it managed to invoke patriotic and humane sentiments among viewers.

The film grew as the day progressed and grew by about 80 per cent on day two. And more than double its Friday figures on Sunday. That is a sort of miracle for a heroine oriented film, especially since the heroine in this case, Sonam Kapoor, enjoys limited draw. So, though almost 30 years old incident, people have identified with the story as they did with Airlift. The film has ended its first weekend with a total of Rs 21.2 crore.

Loveshuda is poor, registering a little over Rs 2 crore for the weekend.

The other two films, Instant Ishq and Ishq Forever, are very poor.

Sanam Re has managed to rake in Rs 24.6 crore in its first week, which does not seem enough for the distributor to recover, who needs much more to recoup.

Fitoor collects Rs 17.15 crore for its first week, which is way short of recovery.

Ghayal Once Again is beyond salvaging point. The film adds a meagre Rs 1.85 crore in its second week to take its two week total to Rs 34.95 crore.

Sanam Teri Kasam collects Rs 45 lakh in its second week to take its two week tally to Rs 7.7 crore.

Saala Khadoos collects Rs 30 lakh in its third week taking its three week total to Rs 10.4 crore.

February 22, 2016
Box Office: ‘Neerja’ flies with Rs 21 crore in opening weekend

MUMBAI: Neerja started slow on its opening Friday but the film’s appreciation helped it catch momentum on the very first day during the later shows. Akin to Airlift, despite being a dry film, it managed to invoke patriotic and humane sentiments among viewers.

The film grew as the day progressed and grew by about 80 per cent on day two. And more than double its Friday figures on Sunday. That is a sort of miracle for a heroine oriented film, especially since the heroine in this case, Sonam Kapoor, enjoys limited draw. So, though almost 30 years old incident, people have identified with the story as they did with Airlift. The film has ended its first weekend with a total of Rs 21.2 crore.

Loveshuda is poor, registering a little over Rs 2 crore for the weekend.

The other two films, Instant Ishq and Ishq Forever, are very poor.

Sanam Re has managed to rake in Rs 24.6 crore in its first week, which does not seem enough for the distributor to recover, who needs much more to recoup.

Fitoor collects Rs 17.15 crore for its first week, which is way short of recovery.

Ghayal Once Again is beyond salvaging point. The film adds a meagre Rs 1.85 crore in its second week to take its two week total to Rs 34.95 crore.

Sanam Teri Kasam collects Rs 45 lakh in its second week to take its two week tally to Rs 7.7 crore.

Saala Khadoos collects Rs 30 lakh in its third week taking its three week total to Rs 10.4 crore.

February 22, 2016
Film tourism convention ‘Locations’ attracts delegates from 10+ countries

NEW DELHI: The fourth edition of the annual film tourism convention IIFTC Locations Show 2016 will take place in three locations – Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai – this month.

Organized by the Film Federation of India, the IIFTC Locations Show will to take place in Chennai on 23 February at Crowne Plaza Hotel, in Hyderabad on 25 February at Radisson Blu Plaza and in Mumbai at JW Marriott, Juhu on 27 February.

According to a study conducted by Mercury Integrated Marketing Services, more than 200 Indian film are shot abroad in over 50 countries around the world every year.

IIFTC Locations Show promises to be a grand affair with participation from various Asian, African and European countries vying to garner a larger slice of this ever increasingly foreign shoots market in India.

IIFTC Locations Show 2016 will see participation from some exotic countries such as Kenya, Namibia, South Africa (KwaZulu Natal), Fiji, Spain, Germany, Sri Lanka and Thailand among others.

FFI secretary general Supran Sen said, “Our filmmakers are constantly looking for new and exotic destinations to shoot. At IIFTC Locations Show, FFI will gather the most prodigious Indian film makers and studios under one roof to meet the visiting delegations of tourism and cultural ministries from various countries and states.”

IIFTC director Harshad Bhagwat added, “Films have been one of the most vital motivations for putting a destination on a travel itinerary. Films provide many positive impacts for the destination in terms of economic and cultural value, brand awareness and positive image building. With IIFTC, we aim to create conducive environment for Locations Scouting for creative industries in India as well as a credible B2B platform for film induced tourism promotion.”

February 22, 2016